jjncj.com - Comments

Rob Miller: Of wire and water closets

nospam@example.com (Rob Miller) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:37:23 +0000

I liked your site.

Joshua Kugler: The Big Five-Oh.

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:01:32 +0000

Not really. It's been a GREAT car.

Really, the only thing we don't like about it is a minor quibble, and a non-issue for those with two or less kids. The seats in the back (2005 and later) are bucket-type seats, so you lose a good two to three inches on either side (if you use the latch system) and it makes it very hard to get three car seats in there without buying $250+ car seats.

But other than that, no complaints, really. It's been a great car!

Amanda: The Big Five-Oh.

nospam@example.com (Amanda) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:28:22 +0000

Good to hear. We're currently in the midst of looking for a used outback. Is there anything you don't like about it?

Joshua Kugler: Shipping and Alaska, an interesting combination

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 19:53:52 +0000

Note to all:

I have not checked out AlohaForwarding, but I approved the comment so people can check them out on their own. I take no responsibility for packages that do or don't make it.

Darrell Houghton: Shipping and Alaska, an interesting combination

nospam@example.com (Darrell Houghton) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:32:24 +0000

For merchants that don't ship to Alaska, or only use UPS/FedEx, now you can have your package shipped to http:/www.AlohaForwarding.com and they will forward your package to you using Priority Mail. There's even a shipping calculator to give you an idea how much money you'll save. It doesn't cost anything to join, and there's no membership fee.

Amy Jane: "You and mommy have three children!"

nospam@example.com (Amy Jane) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:24:23 +0000

Congrats! (so glad I've got you in bloglines-- I never would have been looking fir the news this early).

Kara: "You and mommy have three children!"

nospam@example.com (Kara) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:55:04 +0000

WAHOO!!!! I just updated the board for you Crystal.

Congrats on your baby boy! Can't wait to see pictures!

Jason Theis: Fly me to the moon...

nospam@example.com (Jason Theis) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:10:50 +0000

Regarding FNHS/AHFC - what irony! Have you thought to mention to them that their mistake was financing the house in the first place, and that this additional funding would fix the original faux pas?

I tell ya, it seems to me that they lucked out from the get go - most owners would have walked away from the place (defaulted on the loan) after discovering such a horrendous problem so soon after moving in. I would think it in their best interest to support you in your endeavor....

Kate: A Bobcat blessing

nospam@example.com (Kate) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:13:57 +0000

Great story hon. Have to say it made me snicker a bit -- my mom drives Bobcat. Having a work crew drop everything and come running like that -- in August-- is amazing. They were probably booked till at least October!
hmm by the way your Captcha thing screws up on Windows.

Joshua Kugler: A Bobcat blessing

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:42:00 +0000

I would imagine that in the larger and/or chain stores with minimum wage employees, customer service could be severely lacking. When you have employees who don't care, and/or employers who are trying to squeeze every last penny out of their bottom line, you end up with a horrible situation.

However, in the independent businesses, those who rely on good relationships with their customers, word-of-mouth advertising, and good reputations, I believe customer service is still very much alive.

Tom: A Bobcat blessing

nospam@example.com (Tom) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:47:15 +0000

Sweet.

There's a letter to the editor piece with almost 200 comments in the newsminer stating that customer service in Fairbanks is dead. It's nice to know that it's not dead and good job "paying it forward".

Glad that that worked out and hopefully there are no new surprises for you two, you've been through a lot on that house, time to get it all sealed up and start the "happily ever after" stage!

Jason Theis: A Bobcat blessing

nospam@example.com (Jason Theis) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:58:42 +0000

Joshua!

Wonderful story regarding the Bobcat, but oy! I am so sorry to hear about the water supply! It is falls so squarely into the "what else could go wrong?" category that I cannot help but laugh in disbelief.

Reading the story, though, reminds me of just how far gone the summer really is.

All the best to you and Crystal as you move ahead...

Amanda: Another Kugler is on the way!

nospam@example.com (Amanda) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:37:20 +0000

That's crazy!

Amanda: Another Kugler is on the way!

nospam@example.com (Amanda) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:07:05 +0000

Congrats on the newest Kugler. Do you know which date Crystal is due?

Rachel Pleasants: Toddler Interrupted

nospam@example.com (Rachel Pleasants) — Tue, 20 May 2008 03:44:50 +0000

Too Cute!!! Love the pics.

Joshua Kugler: The Futility of Comments

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:52:08 +0000

Very true. It is not always possible. As I said, "Sometimes a line or two is required to explain something not clear from context, but it's rare." Often it's because you're doing something that may not seem efficient or logical.

One example is using the Apache request object in mod_python. To get the user from an HTTP auth request, you have to call the function to decode the password first, before you can get the user (because that's the way the Apache API works). You don't want someone to come along later and reorder those statements, and then spend an hour trying to figure out why it doesn't work.

Another example is writing out cookies. The most natural idiom in Python would be a simple for loop over the keys of a dict, but since the spec requires the 'value=foo' part to be the first key/value pair, some extra logic is required. A simple comment alluding to the requirements of the spec is sufficient, and will keep someone from "optimizing" the code later and breaking things.

So, you're right: sometimes comments are required, but the more I program, and the clearer I try to make my code, the more I realize commenting code can be not only redundant, but distracting.

Robert 'Groby' Blum: The Futility of Comments

nospam@example.com (Robert 'Groby' Blum) — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:58:52 +0000

Let me amend that a bit -

> Yes. Instead of writing comments, write code that doesn't need comments.
if possible

You can't always do this. It's usually once you have to go closer to the metal that you need comments. (I.e. "do this magic thing, since it improves cache coherency" is a rather common one in my field)

Amy Jane: Elizabeth collage

nospam@example.com (Amy Jane) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:56:11 +0000

Beautiful. What a neat idea.

Joshua Kugler: My feelings on PHP, exactly.

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:35:59 +0000

You comment got truncated, so I am assuming you were going to say, "...only going to fit certain ways of thinking."

You're absolutely right. Different languages will appeal to different people. However, there are features, or rather, design decisions in PHP that make it a somewhat "interesting" language. Python, because it supported name spaces early on, avoided a lot of the namespace pollution and "function prefixing" (e.g. mysql_this, mysql_that) that was required in PHP. Also, Python was designed; PHP grew out of an HTML preprocessor.

One of the reasons for wide adoption of PHP is that mod_php has been around, and stable, for a long time. mod_python, from what I gather in my reading, has really only been easily usable and installable somewhat recently. Hosting providers found it easy to provide PHP, and new programmers didn't really see PHP as a "scripting language" because they didn't have to do anything server-side to get their pages to run: upload a file with a .php extension, they were good to go.

I like Python for the consistency it provides, and dislike PHP for its horrendous inconsistency. Googling for "php function name inconsistency" (without the quotes) will give you this as its first link: http://www.tnx.nl/php

I like the simplicity, "smallness" (I think I read there are only 31 reserved words in Python), and readability Python provides.

Chris L: My feelings on PHP, exactly.

nospam@example.com (Chris L) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 06:44:52 +0000

Geeks get obsessed with perfection and computer geeks get obsessed with language perfection. There many other prettier and objectively "better" languages, but the proof comes in the real working environment. Python? Great language, you know I like it-- but it isn't everywhere like PHP is. Ruby? Even worse. Perl? Expressive, but a bear to maintain. Lisp and SmallTalk have some amazing ideas built into their DNA, but they are only going to fit

Jason Theis: Plumbing!

nospam@example.com (Jason Theis) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:58:57 +0000

Joshua-

Great job; little by little it all comes together.

Now that you have the front window in, be careful about heating the place without the vapor barrier in place - frost will quickly build up between the insulation and exterior sheathing.

Let me know if you want some grunt help in the next few weeks; I should actually have some time and would love to help. Lord knows my place is making no progress anytime soon! blushes

Crystal: My occupation?

nospam@example.com (Crystal) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:11:15 +0000

Finger painting with mustard how could I forget??? Or the Desitin......

Kate: Boycotting

nospam@example.com (Kate) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:06:05 +0000

Hmmm. Very true. But every once in awhile you do see something so outrageous, or hear something so reprehensible, that supporting a business is no longer something you can morally tolerate.

Kate: My occupation?

nospam@example.com (Kate) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:03:01 +0000

ROTFL!!! No dear, you undecorate the house; it's the munchkins who make it pretty!

Amy Jane: A New Job!

nospam@example.com (Amy Jane) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:35:27 +0000

How exciting! Congratulations!

--AJ

Crystal: My occupation?

nospam@example.com (Crystal) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:48:59 +0000

The way she sounded on the phone she was serious.

Amy Jane: My occupation?

nospam@example.com (Amy Jane) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:13:08 +0000

Dood. I would have asked if she were serious. That's wild.

Amy Jane: Consent of a 9 month old

nospam@example.com (Amy Jane) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 06:14:10 +0000

Wow. That's insane.

And funny.

subbaraman: There are no Mac viruses because...you can't

nospam@example.com (subbaraman) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:55:34 +0000

that was informative ...
could you give me other sites where i can get info about the non infecting nature of viruses in linux...
i'm actually a new blogger ..
it would be kind of you if you give me the reason how you got into the results of this google....

Joshua Kugler: Post a comment, digitize a book

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:47:30 +0000

....and a test post to make sure this works.

Kate: The house, such as it is

nospam@example.com (Kate) — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:43:07 +0000

Yikes. Sounds like a Catch-22 moment. Def keep me posted, guys.
Luv ya!

an: Words, Symbols, and Meanings

nospam@example.com (an) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:35:52 +0000

C-A-N-O-N
C-A-N-O-N-I-C-A-L
are related, and defined in your post.

Neither of them is related to a
C-A-N-N-O-N
which is a weapon.

Please try being more careful, and thinking more clearly. And fix the "cannon" in your post to "canon". And remove the "In response to..." at the top, because it isn't.

Rosie: And the Sheetrock Came Tumbling Down

nospam@example.com (Rosie) — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:27:58 +0000

Where are the progressive photos??!!

I use is AlaskaBest Plumbing & Heating. They've never done me wrong, thought that is my experience. Jeff Bovee is the owner & a Master Plumber. Their number is 455-6506, their website is http://www.akbestph.com/ (out dated and in need of updating - but - lest we not judge folks by their websites!) and their email is akbest@alaska.com.

They've done all of my furnace work and they are general contractors as well. When I first got this house, Jeff spent a great deal of time looking at different issues with me and talking about potential problems and priorities. Today will be the first time I use them for any plumbing, and it's minor... but they were the first ones I thought of when I knew I'd need someone.

HTH

Rosie: Customer Disservice

nospam@example.com (Rosie) — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:14:56 +0000

OOoooo I wish I'd seen this about 4 hours ago!! Sounds like I'd rather rent from your guy!!! I just called UR this morning and they said they're dropping off an 8yd dumpster today! I told her on the phone it's absolutely essential that it be dropped off asap but even MORE important that it's GONE by the 10th. She assured me this would be no bproblem. But thanks to your experience, if they haven't been here by 2:30pm or so, I'll start calling to light a fire under em!

As for a trash business - there was a business called Trash Talk (cute name huh?!) and as far as I could tell, they were a few guys and a big truck. They catered to those of us who are far beyond city trash service. They're still in the phone book -- but I don't think they're in business anymore as their recording talks of vending machines. So there ya go - the market opend up wide for ya!

Jon Bourne: The lady of the house

nospam@example.com (Jon Bourne) — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:38:05 +0000

We got this call, too. And actually, I don't think it was a real person at all. I was completely fooled--for about 30 seconds.

If you noticed, there was no hesitation, no pauses, and no mistakes. It was perfect. Even if someone is reading, there will be points where there is some hesitation or interruption in meter or voice inflection. With this: nothing. It was too perfect.

Also, I stopped responding when I suspected that it was a recording. The woman would ask a question, then carry on as though I had answered a second later.

It was the best-disguised recorded call I've ever received, and I'll certainly have to be more alert from now on. I'll have to add a rule to my aural spam detection software.

Chris L: Python...and loving it.

nospam@example.com (Chris L) — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:11:57 +0000

I knew you'd like Python

Guy: AJAX just keeps getting better and better

nospam@example.com (Guy) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 13:22:24 +0000

Hi,

I would like to introduce you to a new technology called http://www.visualwebgui.com which provides a unique way to create AJAX applications by providing full WinForms like development including design time support. The architecture eliminates most of AJAX soft spots by simply returning back to server based computing but still having a dynamic AJAX based UI. It also has been said by developers to boost productivity to R.A.D. levels with out limiting your options.

Guy

Rosie: "Coincedences" can be Themes

nospam@example.com (Rosie) — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 11:47:45 +0000

Ahhh... i believe there are no 'coincidences'!! OK - may be a coinkidink if you ordered the same thing I did at the coffee shop and we happened to talk about it... might just be coincidental if two people end up running into each other at Wal-Mart for the same sale and are happy to see each other... but for the most part.. I believe we should remain wide open to the possibility that He orchestrates every intersection we cross! If nothing else.. it heightens your awareness to how often He really does show up in your life

(PS. your anti-bot strings are hard to read! Took me 3 tries!!)

Kate: A redneck love poem

nospam@example.com (Kate) — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 17:32:47 +0000

I love it! I love it I love it I love it!!! ROTFL! I am SO forwarding this! Luv you guys!

Kate: Another "todo" for the remodel

nospam@example.com (Kate) — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 17:29:11 +0000

Gosh, I hope you can get that taken care of soon. I think a lot of us are learning about legal issues, and the downsides of homeownership, through your family's experience. Let me know what happens; we'll be praying for you!

Israel (Izzy) Brewster: Shipping and Alaska, an interesting combination

nospam@example.com (Israel (Izzy) Brewster) — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 07:05:11 +0000

Of course, my complaint in the above mentioned case isn't so much about the shipping, which, though atrocious, I have sort of gotten used to, but about a) the fact that I wasn't informed up front about the additional charges, and that b) the fact that they first said they'd ship for free (website) then said they'd charge an $18 fee, then said that they couldn't ship it up here at all because it was fragile, then turned around and shipped it, and had the audacity to claim I never canceled the order to boot! Course, the point remains- getting people to ship up here for a reasonable cost is rather difficult

Vlad: E-bay's sign-in server can assist phishers

nospam@example.com (Vlad) — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:40:25 +0000

Allowing a redirect to be setup prior to login is a very bad practice. Most financial sites have finally stopped doing that despite 'user conveniance' factor.

The best someone can do in the mean time is to only type in URLs to sensitive sites by hand/use book marks and not sign in following a link.

I would say amazon is also a major culprit in this with their refferal system.

Joshua Kugler: AJAX just keeps getting better and better

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:44:24 +0000

That's great to hear that there is support for Python via Jython. Sadly, though, Jython currently supports only Python 2.1, and obviously doesn't support any of the C extensions. Since I'm developing in Python 2.4 these days, I'm not sure if that will work out or not. But I'll certainly keep on eye on ThinWire's progress.

Joshua Gertzen: AJAX just keeps getting better and better

nospam@example.com (Joshua Gertzen) — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 06:18:42 +0000

Hey... glad to see you found out about us. We continue to work hard towards making ThinWire the best server-centric Ajax solution out there. In any case, I look forward to seeing you drop by the developer forums to comment on your experiences. As far as using scripting languages... we're going to put together a tutorial on this at some point, but essentially there are number of scripting languages that have been implemented on top of the JVM and with the right setup, you can write application code exclusively in those scripting languages. Jython, JRuby, Groovy, RhinoJS, BeanShell are all examples of such languages. In fact, at CCS, the company that I work for who also funds ThinWire development, we use the Mozilla Rhino JavaScript engine to execute certain parts of our application code on the server.

Gary Wells: Does ubiquity "unproper" a noun?

nospam@example.com (Gary Wells) — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 16:49:51 +0000

What about Band-aid? Also, you might consider regional uses for trade names, i.e, in many southern states all sodas are "cokes" and pop vendors are called "coke machines." By the way does "Bozo" or "Mickey Mouse" count as descriptive terms, i.e. a mickey mouse operation?

Joshua Kugler: Does ubiquity "unproper" a noun?

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:19:29 +0000

Kleenex did come to mind, but it is still supposed to be capitalized, since it is still a valid and enforced trade mark. Didn't know about thermos. I'm not sure about duct tape. Duck Tape is a brand, I'm not sure if duct tape ever was (based on a brief reading of the Wikipedia Duct Tape article, and we know Wikipedia is always right) Also, not sure about Caterpillar: it's still a protected name, with any printed usage sure to be enforced. Informal usage, though, can refer to any number of tracked vehicles.

Gary Wells: Does ubiquity "unproper" a noun?

nospam@example.com (Gary Wells) — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:12:17 +0000

You asked about proper nouns that have become lower case through common usage. What about trademarked product names? The ones that come to mind are kleenex, thermos, duct tape, and caterpillar tractor.

Jon Bourne: Time to change languages

nospam@example.com (Jon Bourne) — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 02:03:29 +0000

I look forward to reading it!

Joshua Kugler: Time to change languages

nospam@example.com (Joshua Kugler) — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:31:39 +0000

Django is a good one, and you're right: designed for/by a newspaper. I've been investigating both Turbogears and Pylons as of late. The main attraction to Python, besides its clean syntax, and it just "making sense," was the strong library support it has. Ruby is a good language, and it's libraries are growing, but not yet to the point of Python. As since I've started learning Python, I've heard that the creator of Ruby has described his intentions with the language as "Perl-ifying Lisp," [See this post: http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/179642 by Yukihiro Matsumoto (aka Matz, the creator of Ruby)] I'm really glad I've stayed away. Of course, more detail in my upcoming "migration to Python" post.

Jon Bourne: The furniture is out

nospam@example.com (Jon Bourne) — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:22:12 +0000

I wasn't sore, but I sure ate well that night and fell asleep quickly! Glad I could help.